


The symphony of the Siren

by Jaybirdy (Peta_Jayne1312)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Mermaid Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Non-Graphic Violence, Swearing, slight DjWifi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2018-12-18 03:57:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11866203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peta_Jayne1312/pseuds/Jaybirdy
Summary: Mermaid/pirate au! It's believed to be bad luck when a women is on the ship. Sirens are women that were thrown of the ships because the men were scared. The water changed them into murderous monsters. Marinette is an unremorseful killer until a certain blonde haired green eyed captain crosses her path. Eventual smut so look away little ones.





	1. Caught

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story on Ao3 so I hope you enjoy! Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

It had always been known that having a woman on a boat was bad luck, or at least that’s what everyone believed. Women weren’t allowed to sail and it was as simple as that, or it should have been. Marinette however, had always seemed to have a thirst for adventure, a desire to accomplish things that were forbidden for her. As a woman of this era she was to be trained as a housewife, to care for a family, to wash and cook and sew. She wasn’t to board a ship, she wasn’t to explore and certainly not to travel, but Marinette wanted all of that and so she was determined she would get it. She had fantasised about what it might be like to stow away on a ship, travel the world and show everyone what she was capable of, and one night her dreaming seemed to call a little too strong.

Marinette was a well-off young lady, coming from a family with decent wealth compared to most, and she certainly had no reason to desire far of places and exotic shores, she could easily stay where she was and live the life she was destined. She was a gorgeous girl, small of frame, with glossy blue-black tresses that framed her face and ignited the pale blue of her eyes. The freckles that dusted her pale cheeks were numbered in the thousands and seemed to reflect the constellations of stars that she desperately wished to use for navigation across the vast oceans. She truly was a beautiful maiden and would have no trouble finding a suitable bachelor to marry, but that was never what she wanted, what she craved.

One night as the moonlight dusted the bay of her home town she found herself stuffing her belongings in a small bag and disguising herself in her father’s clothes. She made her way silently through her childhood home and glanced back one final time as she stepped over the threshold. She hoped perhaps she could return one day, tell of her journeys and see her parents who she loved dearly, and she would, just perhaps not in the way she ever expected. Marinette made her way to the docks and blended herself with a crew of sailors setting off that night. They were going on a journey to trade with some nearby towns and she supposed that while the journey didn’t sound like something worth writing home about, at least she was on her way to something. She knew there were dangers awaiting her on the journey, rough oceans, sharp reefs and perhaps worst of all, pirates. They would loot ships such as the one she was boarding and brutally slaughter the entire crew, but she knew she couldn’t fear such things so openly if she truly wanted to travel as she craved to.

Boarding the boat inconspicuously, blended in with the other men of the crew, she surprised herself with how easily she had made it on to the boat. She figured she would be too obvious if she stayed in the cabins with the actual crew men and so she snuck herself into the stowage of the ship, setting her things down amongst the caskets of wine and crates of sugar and flour. She tired her best to be inconspicuous, always turning her head down and wrapping her bindings tight in her best attempt to blend in with the gentlemen aboard the wooden ship. She had been successful so far.

During her time on the boat however, she had heard some interesting conversations amongst the men that sent shivers down her spine. The sailors told of gorgeous women who lured ships to wreck and dragged men and boats into the water, shredding them apart. Marinette of course couldn’t tell the authenticity of these tales, for all she knew they were drunken stories which held no truth, but the tales still made her worry. She decided that until she had evidence of such creatures she wouldn’t let her mind ponder them. Four days she was successful in staying hidden and that’s when things turned disastrous. She had been careless one night, forgetting to keep her head down as she made her way across the deck and towards her makeshift cabin within the stowage.

Unfortunately, a crew member of the ship who often visited her parent’s bakery in town spotted her and had recognised her. He reported his suspicions to the captain who ordered the crew be searched for the stowaway. And that’s how she was discovered. Marinette was captured and held prisoner while the captain and crew debated the proceedings considering the situation. The men chattered about the dangers of having a woman on board, how it was unlucky for the journey and that keeping her on-board was bound to be unlucky enough to attract pirates to their ship, or worse, sirens. Marinette soon found herself being carried to the side of the ship with her legs tied. She tried to fight, to scream and escape, curse the men and question how what they were doing could possibly be considered humane. Her struggling was futile and she plummeted towards the cold water, hitting it with a hard smack that stole the breath from her lungs.

As she sunk into the water her first instinct was to gasp for air as the winded feeling stuck in her chest. She kicked her legs and began to choke as the salt water burned her throat and eyes. Her vision blurred and darkened and she sunk towards the bottom of the water, the freezing temperature sending her into a calm coma like state. Marinette was barely conscious but she could feel a burning in her throat and a stinging pulsing through her legs. The stinging of her flesh dulled and it was strange the way the pain ceased and her vision began to clear. Consciousness flooded back into her system. Her eyes snapped open and she sucked in a breath, somehow, she managed to breath in air despite the water surrounding her and it startled her. She looked up toward the surface of the water and found herself surging toward it. She broke through the water and pushed herself to swim toward the small glimpse of land on the horizon, surprised at how quickly she arrived there.

Marinette hoisted herself up onto the nearest rock lining the coast of the small island and took a moment to calm her jittering nerves. She shook with adrenalin as she had barely escaped with her life. Those men were monsters, they had left her for dead and she utterly loathed them. She hoped that fate brought them what they deserved as she desperately clung to the rough texture of the rock. That was when she noticed it, and Marinette was positive that she almost blacked out at the sight around her. She was surrounded by women, all utterly gorgeous, with eyes that seemed to pierce her very soul.

They approached her slowly and pulled themselves onto the stones surrounding her, bringing their glittering tails up through the water, each scale sparkling individually. These had to be the creatures the sailors had murmured about during the dark. Marinette felt fear seep through her skin and set her blood ablaze with adrenaline, willing to fight in any way she could, until one began to speak to her. She flung her head in the direction of the soothing voice and found herself oddly comforted by the face she was met with.

“It’s alright, we aren’t going to hurt you. We know what they did to you and we loath them for it, for they did it to all of us to. It will take some adjustments I know, but trust in us that all will be explained. My name is Tikki, I can help you.”

The woman’s smile gently graced her face and Marinette had an unexplainable feeling that she really could have faith in the words she was hearing and despite some earlier reservations found herself allowing the group to guide her into a small cavern just along the coast of the little island. Once inside they sat her down on the edge of the rock pool and that’s when Marinette first spotted the way her legs had fused together and she let out a shrill scream. It wasn’t exactly a tail in the way the creatures around her had, but the skin of her legs looked as though it had grotesquely burnt together. Her feet had expanded out some and morphed into a somewhat fin like structure. What she could see before her was hideous and deformed and she couldn’t understand anything that was happening and so Tikki did her best to explain.

She told Marinette that sirens were the women who were thrown off ships when the sailors got afraid because having a woman on the boat is bad luck. And as they sunk to the bottom, legs tied together, they change slowly until they can breathe, until they can use their tied-up legs to swim.

“You see, we have the ability to lure the sailors to the rocks with our voices, the ocean does something to your voice, makes it husky and sensual, and it draws them in. We seek revenge on them for what they have done to us and I know you seek it too. Come with us and we can help you make them pay.”

“Will you stay with us?” Another siren questioned.

Marinette simply shook her head yes, unsure of what other option there even was.

“And don’t worry about how your tail looks now-” Tiki continued- “the process has only just started, in the next day or so the process will be complete and you will have scales and proper fins like us. I promise you’ll be alright…May I ask your name?”

“Marinette.”

“Well Marinette, for now I suggest you get some rest.”

And with that Marinette found herself in an underwater cavern, slowly becoming a murderous creature that would lure men to their eventual demise.

* * *

That was a year ago now, and in that time Marinette had slaughtered her fair share of sailors, even taking down two or three of the monsters who had thrown her over board. They had even lured some pirates to their death, which she held as perhaps the few of her greatest accomplishments. If horrid men were going to throw the women over board then as far as the sirens were concerned they got what they deserved. After the all the ocean had changed them into what they were for a reason and so they continued to make good on their promise to demolish entire crews and ships.

This day however, something changed for Marinette. It began like any other, a quick hunt on the open water for breakfast, they didn’t eat the men as most of them thought, they lived on a seafood diet, only drowning the sailors they lured. It really had been a normal morning so far and Marinette headed out alone in search of boats. That’s when she discovered a huge wooden boat with black tattered sails ploughed through the waves toward the other side of their little island. She followed behind the peculiar boat and watched as the anchor of the ship settled into the sea bed. The crew began to drop small boats off the side and jump into them in groups, rowing to the shore. That’s when Marinette spotted him and within a moment she was transfixed.

Something about the tall man with the forest green eyes captured her attention and she was soon propelling herself towards his little boat that he rowed alone. The rest of the crew were already mostly on shore but he had just hit the water and was far from the shore yet. As Marinette got closer she took in his appearance. He had a sharp chiselled jaw and ruffled blond hair contained under a black captain’s hat. He was tall and lean, and despite this appearance his muscles were defined beneath the black coat he wore and she was sure he was strong. By the way he was dressed she felt confident in the assumption he was the captain, despite it being strange that he would travel on his own in the boat.

His eyes were the deepest green she had ever seen, putting all other shades to shame and without realising her enchantment with him had brought her right beside his boat. She hooked her hands over the side of the boat and pulled herself up and began to sing, drawing his attention to her. He was lured straight to her and he lent over the side of the boat to be face to face with Marinette as his crew watched on in horror, awaiting the moment she snatched their captain from the boat and dragged him under. But it never happened, as he simply lent down and looked her in the eyes, enchanted by the blue he found there, and lent in closer.

Marinette was taken aback as she had never been so close, face only a centimetre apart from a living man. She hesitated and contemplated making a quick escape but was suddenly hoisted up into his boat and hooked up in a tight net. Marinette shrieked and thrashed and yet she couldn’t escape, eventually getting exhausted and giving into her captor. He rowed back to the boat, calling his men to row back and join him. 

“Look as this beauty!” He chuckled, “I mean look at the scales on this one, were bound to get a fortune for them.”

His men chuckled sickeningly and one member of the crew chimed in. “For a minute, there captain we thought you were a goner!”

“Sure, right Kim!” A darker man said as he put his arm around the captain. “Imagine that! The Great Captain Chat Noir falling victim to a siren!”

The men began laughing again until captain Chat Noir spoke up.

“Ha very funny Nino. I could never be tricked by a mere siren.” He sent a wink her way. “But I do ask the crew take care of this one, I’ve never seen scales like that.”

It was true that Marinette had a gorgeous tail, the envy of many of the other sirens. It was iridescent shades of pink with gorgeously textured scales and she was certain she didn’t want to lose the beauty she possessed to some feral pirate. By the time they had tied her up and got the boat sailing back out on the open water Marinette hadn’t touched water in two whole hours. Her scales were getting brittle and dry and she hissed in pain with each movement aboard the deck as it tore her delicate skin.

“What’s wrong with it?” The pirate she recalled as Nino questioned.

“I don’t know? But don’t you dare let it die, they are worth more alive and you know Chat would kill you if it died.”

“I know that Ivan!” Nino muttered. “But I don’t know what it needs, it doesn’t talk,”

“Well actually I do!” Marinette screeched at them, spooking them all out of their skin.

“Shit it does talk!” “What do you need then monster?”

“Just put me back! I’m drying out and I need water or I’ll be dead in less then-!”

“Water huh?” Chat asked as he strolled over to her on the deck.

Suddenly he hoisted her up over his shoulder and retreated into his private cabin, leaving his crew baffled in his wake. She thrashed her tail as best she could with the ropes pulled tight around her hands all the way to the base of her tail. She couldn’t even use her sharp claws to slice through the rope because her hands had been bound to tight.

“Let me go!” Marinette screeched out as she continued to thrash her way out of his grasp.

Every movement mad her dry skin burn and while she knew she wouldn’t really die, that didn’t mean she wanted to endure the pain of what was happening. Sirens had the ability to get their legs back, they could even spend the rest of their lives on land if they really wanted to. All they had to do was to sit on land and endure the burning pain as their tails dried out and they would have legs again until they submerged themselves in the water once more and breathed the salt into their lungs. Most sirens however simply didn’t want to return to the land, both through the lack of desire to sit through the agonising pain of drying themselves out and because they had come to love their murderous lifestyles.

“Not happening!” Chat called back. “We’re bound to make a fortune from you princess so I’ve decided to take your wellbeing into my own hands, the crew on this ship would be lucky to keep a goldfish alive for a day!” he chuckled.

Chat placed her down on the floor of his cabin and saluted her as he walked straight back out the door.

“Where are you going? You can’t just leave me down here!”

“Don’t get your scales in a twist princess, I’ll be right back. I thought you wanted water, didn’t you?”

And with that the door shut and Marinette found herself alone in the small room. She sat there for a while as her legs burned and she almost screamed at the agonizing pain. Slowly but surely her tail split and legs took its place. That damned pirate would regret doing this to her. With legs smaller then her tail, Marinette could wriggle free of her binds and stand up. On wobbly legs, she searched the small room and was pleased to find a dagger. It wasn’t much protection but at least she had something.

She shivered a little from the cold and her lack of clothes and she wished she wasn’t quite so naked as she waited for the captain to come back. The door handle twisted and she prepared herself, holding the knife outwards as the captain shut the door again with his back to her. As Chat spun around and was met with a knife to the face he put his hands up in defeat finally noticing the woman behind the knife. His eyes went wide and he sucked in a breath.

“Absolutely stunning…” he mumbled before the realisation hit that she was no longer half fish, followed promptly by a rather loud “Hang on a second, What the fuck!?”

“What’s the matter pirate? Scared?”

“Not of you. Scared of whatever was put in my food last night because there’s no way there’s a mermaid with legs in my cabin right not princess.” Chat chuckled.

“That’s where your wrong Captain Chat Noir,” Marinette stated moving closer and pressing the blade against his throat, “I am very real. Weren’t expecting me to have legs huh? It’s going to be a lot harder to harm me now I can fight back, isn’t it?”

“I wasn’t going to hurt you princess. In fact, I only left a moment ago to get the crew to fill my tub with water for you. Forgive me please for wanting to keep you alive.” Chat smirked at her as she was taken back by the fact he wasn’t leaving her to die.

“What’s in this for you pirate? Just let me go and I promise not to sink your ship and kill your crew.”

“I’ve caught the most gorgeous creature anyone has ever laid eyes on princess. And now she has gone and sprouted legs. I’m most intrigued and sorry to say I’m not letting you go.”


	2. Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Chat offers the siren an ultimatum and she reluctantly agrees. Who knew pirates could be such gossip girls. Alix makes a kink joke and I'm probably going to hell ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ oops?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a sexual joke and some searing, if that's not your thing please tread carefully. I hope you enjoy the latest chapter! This ones mainly about establishing relationships so it may not be the greatest, but big events are on their way!

“Let me go this instant pirate, or I promise I will kill you and every single one of your men. And I’ll enjoy every second of it, so I really suggest you don’t test me.” Marinette scowled.

Chats thoughts flickered through his head at record speed with a dagger pressed against his throat, and he couldn’t believe this thought had crossed his mind. His crew needed cash and when this woman was a murderous creature he had no reservations against selling her off to the highest bidder, her welfare be damned. But now standing before him was a gorgeous woman, delicate and all too human, with expanses of soft, warm skin, flushed with life. Wide hips and long legs in place of what once separated her kind from his. Her chest rose and fell and her dark hair framed her beautiful face and hung around her shoulders.

She was just too human. He knew right then and there that he wouldn’t be able to sell her off or kill her, not now. He may be a pirate but harming a lady was definitely against his morals and it was a lady who stood before him. He was however still in need of money and now he was incredibly curious as to why she had legs, but he wouldn’t get money or find all that out. Unless…

“Now, now princess. I know you’re not as sure on those legs as your trying to make out. I’m not scared. And you and I both know that with jelly legs and a little dagger there is no way you’re going to fight your way through myself and all of men. However, I do fancy myself as someone who prides himself on his knowledge and so-”

Marinette glowered at him. “I refuse to make deals with filthy pirates!”

“Easy there princess, you haven’t even let me explain. I’m rather intrigued by this whole ‘siren with legs’ debacle and so I’m willing to offer you this. You tell me everything. About how sirens work and why on earth your standing here in my cabin looking like any other woman. You will also stay aboard my ship for the next few months and provide me with scales to sell seeing as I will no longer be making a fortune from the entirety of you. In exchange, you leave with your life. I promise you can freely walk off my ship and my men and I won’t lay a finger on you. If you don’t accept this deal and attempt to fight your way out of here, my men will not hesitate to slaughter you on the spot. And tell you what, I’ll even throw in a little bonus. I swear not to tell my men about your legs and we can pretend all this never happened. So, what will it be sweetie? Do we have a deal?”

Marinette knew she didn’t have a choice. He was right after all. She wasn’t at all experienced on legs and had no chance of fighting her way off the ship. However, she also didn’t really want to stay on a ship of filthy, good-for-nothing pirates who she would have to give away both her secretes and beautiful scales to. But that was the only way she was leaving with her life and she supposed that was more important.

“Fine pirate” she spat.

“Oh, and about that princess, while you’re aboard my ship you’ll address me as either captain or Chat.”

Chat sent her a wink as he headed back toward the door after she had lowered the knife from its place against his throat. “Any requests yourself princess?”

“Fine _Chat_ , and yes I do have a few. You and your men will respect me! Starve me, make me suffer, or even lay a finger on me and my entire pod will come for you. They will tear your ship apart and make you watch as they disembowel your crew… One…. By… One.”

“Sounds _fantastic_ ” he chuckled dryly, exiting the room.

“Where are you going?”

“Well we agreed my men wouldn’t find out about your legs princess, so I’m going to fetch the water myself. Can’t have any stray men wandering down into my cabin running errands and find such a tantalising creature that isn’t half fish down here, can we? Oh, and one last thing, next time you’re going to sprout legs can you let me know so I can get you some clothes? It’s a bit of a distraction if I’m honest.”

And with that the wooden door closed and Marinette heard the lock click shut. This was going to be a long few months. She was thankful for the privacy as she was once again left alone in the little cabin. She needed a moment to calm her nerves. She was going to be ok, if that pirate kept his promise, and that settled her a little for now. While she had the time, she took a moment to inspect the room. The wall was lined with maps and charts, and there was a small wooden desk in the corner. To the left-hand side was a bed, obviously belonging to Chat, with a few woollen blankets piled atop it. She glanced to the right of the room where a wooden bath sat with a small wooden table. There was soap, some fragrances in bottles and a towel sitting atop the table’s wooden surface. At least he kept himself clean, she supposed.

As Marinette continued to study the little room she noticed a set of draws pushed against the wall beside the desk she didn’t see at first and sitting on top was a beautiful little box encrusted with gold and gems, something he had stolen no doubt. Curiosity got the better of her and she wandered up to the draws, running her hand against the smooth, wooden, top ledge. She opened the first draw and found nothing of interest, just some pants and coats. The second draw was filled with shirts and she picked out a clean, white cotton shirt and slipped it over her head. The shirt would have fit Chat perfectly but it hung loosely on her small frame, falling off one shoulder and hanging mid-way down her thighs. Marinette felt it was enough to cover what it needed to and instantly felt much better not being so exposed.

It never really mattered being topless when she had her tail, men never really had time to ogle when she was dragging them to their death and legs added parts back that she hadn’t had in a long time. Parts that she knew were considered extremely scandalous and she didn’t fancy showing them off to a boat full of men and so, she supposed this shirt would do. She ignored the final draw as her hands reached up for the small box. She pulled back the lid and began to peer inside, however she was startled by the door swinging open.

She flung quickly to face whoever had stumbled into the cabin and was met with Chat’s face, eyes wide and cheeks tinted red. His white knuckled grip clung tightly to the big bucket of water he carried, and she watched as the steam swirled out of the top, noting the water must be warm. Chat stared at her for a moment as he felt more and more heat rise to his cheeks. God, she was gorgeous. The way his shirt hung from her small frame made a twinge of something spark in his chest and he knew it wasn’t a good sign. For fucks sake, she was a murderous sea monster and here he was feeling giddy because she was wearing his clothes.

“I’ll just…uh, tip the water in the tub then,” he muttered, shuffling to the bath and pouring the contents of the big bucket into it.

Marinette felt colour rise to her own cheeks at the way he had reacted upon seeing her in his clothes. She knew it was probably just stupid male pride making him react that way to a woman in his clothes but she had to admit it felt nice to have a man look at her that way. Marinette would never admit it to the other sirens in her pod, but she didn’t resent all men, in truth if there was one thing she missed from being human, it would be the promise of warmth from the contact of a man. She had wanted to adventure and so refused to be tied down, but at the end of all that she always saw herself coming home to a loving embrace. That was of course until she went and sprouted fins. But she hadn’t felt truly feminine, like she did in this moment, since she had become part of the sea. She missed that. But this was all nonsense, Marinette reminded herself, not even noticing Chat leave the room to fetch a bucket of cool water. When he returned and emptied the cool water into the hot water in the tub he simply looked at her and scratched the back of his neck.

“I hope it’s not too hot for you. I know you’re probably used to cold water but I figured it might be nice to have a bit of warmth.”

“Thank you.” Marinette replied quietly.

It was true that she certainly was used to cold water by now but she also couldn’t deny her desire for warmth. As she headed toward the tub a glitter within the little box she opened caught her eye and she turned back to look inside. A pair of brilliant red ruby earrings encrusted in a circle of black pearls drew her attention.

“Those are beautiful” she stated aloud.

“Yea they were, uh, they were my mothers.”

Marinette simply nodded her head and walked back to the tub, stepping over the edge and submerging herself in the water. She dunked her head under and inhaled deeply, the shirt sopping wet as she re-surfaced. Chat couldn’t do anything but watch on in awe as her legs fused back together and her glittering scales pushed out through her skin. He was dumbfounded by the sheer ridiculousness that there was a woman turning into a deadly creature right before his eyes.

“That was _interesting_ ” he mumbled. “Well anyway it’s time for supper and I’m heading up to eat. Will you be alright down here? I’m going to lock the door so you will be safe alright princess. Can I um, get you something to, uhh, eat?”

Chat worried about her answer as soon as he asked the question. From everything he had heard and knew about sirens, they ate human flesh, and he knew for certain they didn’t have any of that on board. Well at least not dead and consumable anyway.

“Some fish? Please? Just two or three will be enough, thank you.”

“Oh yea of course, no problem, I’ll be back soon alright.”

And just like that Chat had left her down here alone for the third time that evening. Marinette couldn’t believe she had been so kind to a pirate of all people! But for whatever reason he wasn’t as vile as she believed he would be and was …taking care of her? Certainly not what she had expected of a pirate. But she supposed that while she was stuck on this damn ship, if he was going to treat her with respect then she would be civil too. 

* * *

Chat made it up to the top dining cabin just in time for dinner, the other crew members seated around with their bowls of fish stew. It was only half the crew, the other half would come down for dinner in shifts as it was there turn to man the ship for now, but even this small number of men could make plenty of noise. And boy were they chattering tonight. As Chat walked up to the cook he could barely hear the greeting over the roar of voices throughout the room.

“Do we happen to have any fish?” Chat called over the noise to the chef.

“Sorry captain! Were all out, put the last of ‘em in tonight’s stew! Well catch a new stock tomorrow, but there’s plenty of extra stew if you need!”

“Thank you, I’ll come and grab another bowl when I’m finished I supposed then!”

He wandered over to where Nino was seated with his closet group of men and took a seat. Nino, Max, Kim, Nathanial, Alix and Ivan all seemed deep in conversation, chatting back and forth loudly about some topic that had them all captivated. He managed to catch the end of the conversation as Kim ended his sentence with “But what if she like, eats someone?”

“Evening,” Chat said as he took a seat, “What’s everyone so chatty about Nino?”

“Are you fucking serious?” Nino chuckled, “There’s a living, breathing, killing machine swimming around in your bath and you don’t know what we’re talking about?”

They all gave a laugh and Chat just sat there, taking mouthfuls of his stew as the conversation picked right back up.

“I mean imagine that! What if it just tears one of us apart!” Kim continue.

“Well I assume that if the aforementioned creature was going to consume any of us it would be our captain here, after all there is an eighty percent chance that if he were asleep he wouldn’t hear it crawl its way over to his bed and thus could rip into him before he had a chance to fight.” Max added glancing toward Chat.

“Yea seriously! Captain what are you thinking? Have you gone mad?” Alix laughed, “you have a man killer in your bedroom. I mean whatever gets you going but I can’t say I’ve ever fantasize-”

“Thank you for those comforting statistics Max, and no thanks to you Alix.” Chat chuckled sending them both a harmless glare. “As a matter of fact, I think she is rather harmless, she’s been quite the polite lady in fact.”

“He really has lost it, a siren, polite!”

They all broke out laughing and Chat just shook his head at the men, getting up to leave as their conversation once again picked up where it had finished.

“I mean seriously, what do we feed this thing? What if it’s friends come for us? There’s so many things that could-”

Their conversation melded into the sea of voices as Chat grabbed another bowl of hot stew and made his way back to his cabin. He unlocked the door and pushed inside, careful not to startle the siren in his bath.

“We were out of plain fish, but I’ve got some fish stew if that will work for you?”

Marinette looked up from her tail, which she had been thoroughly preening and massaging in Chat’s absence (The transformation had made it a little sore after all) and smiled at him gratefully.

“Yes, thank you.”

He handed her the bowl and a spoon and headed over to sit on his bed, tugging off his shoes and tossing them to the side of the room. He shrugged off his jacket and hung both it and his hat on the nails on the wall, running a hand through his hair to straighten it as he watched her take her first mouth full. Her face contorted for a moment and he found the words slipping out laced with concern before he realised what he was saying.

“Is it alright?”

Marinette closed her eyes and let out a sound of delight as she swallowed her mouthful. She turned to him quickly and gave an enthusiastic nod. “It’s delicious! God I’ve missed human food, I’ve been eating raw, plain fish for far too long. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome princess.” He chuckled, watching her eat faster than he had ever imagined such a small lady could.

“Just because I’m enjoying this-” she said between mouthfuls “- doesn’t change that I don’t like you _Chat Noir_.”

“Noted princess. Can you, um, turn away for a moment? I’d like to change and hit the sack.”

Marinette turned herself away from him and closed her eyes. Chat quickly slipped off his shirt and pants and changed into a comfortable set he reserved for sleeping, blowing out the candle and pulling his covers over him.

“You can turn around.”

He heard her set down the bowl on the little wooden table and listened as the water sloshed as she moved to face him.

“Are you going to sleep?” She questioned, glancing at him through the dark.

“Uh yea I am. Please refrain from eating me in my sleep if you could princess. Do you need anything to sleep? Do you sleep?”

“Yes, I do, and no I’ll be ok here, I can just use my tail as a head rest. And I’m not going to eat you Chat, that’s ridiculous. We don’t eat people.”

“Wait what?”

“I said we don’t eat people, that’s just gross.”

“You don’t eat people? All I’ve ever heard is that you eat people!”

“No, we eat fish. Eating people is like, cannibalism and that’s disgusting.”

“So, eating people is gross but tearing them apart isn’t? How does that work? And you’re half fish! That’s not really cannibalism.”

“Well we are half human so it technically is, and besides I was human once so I suppose that makes it even more so.”

“You…You were human?”

“Once, yes.”

“But then why are you now…?”

"I'm not telling you."

"You have to, it was part of our deal remember? If you were human than, what...what's your name?"

“I'm definitely not telling you that. And I know it's part of the deal but look I’m not ready to tell you all about it right now. How do I know I can even trust you yet? I mean seriously, you’re a pirate!”

“Fair enough I suppose that’s true. I understand you aren’t just going to take my word for it, but I will keep my promises.”

“We will see about that.”

“ I will find out your name, but for now good night princess. Sleep well and have dreams of killing people or whatever you sirens dream about.”

“Good night captain.” Marinette replied sarcastically.

She sat there in the tub and listened as Chat’s breathing slowed and she knew he must have fallen asleep. He was truly putting a lot of trust in her to not kill him while his eyes are closed. It was strange really, he trusted her and acted as though he hadn’t snatched her out of the ocean against her will. He even had the audacity to call her things like princess and sweetheart while he was holding her captive. And she couldn’t believe herself for letting him get away with all of it too!

She wanted to pretend that she hated him and especially detested his nicknames but she knew she didn’t. He had been treating her well strangely enough and as much as she wanted to tell him off for the names, she couldn’t lie to herself that she wasn’t secretly a little fond of them. There was something strange about this man. He was supposed to be a ruthless pirate and yet he was so gentle. There was more too him and as much as she wished to deny it, Marinette was continually drawn into those deep green eyes and his gentle smile.

If he was going to make her stay aboard this boat and share her secrets, then she was determined to find out his secrets too. After all there was just something different about this particular pirate.


	3. Fresh air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If only it wasn't so hard for a mermaid to walk by themselves (or ignore devilishly handsome pirate captains).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry it's taken so long to update!! Life's been crazy with uni and life and the festive season! But happy new year and hopefully 2018 is great for everyone!!  
> \- on a side note I've just created a tumblr account called Not Chat Noir (petajayne1312) and I would appreciate if you checked it out! I plan to post sneak peaks, one shots and more! P.s it will most likely contain some nsfw content occasionally.

Sunlight began to filter through the  thin cotton curtains that draped from the window of Chat's cabin, and Marinette was awake with the sun. She leaned up out of the tub, stretching into the first faint beams of light and reached for the bottom of the curtain, pulling it aside and letting the full extent of the warm rays filter into the dim cabin. She watched as dust particles danced lazily in the golden light as a sea breeze wafted into the room. Smiling brightly to herself as she peered out the window until her moment of tranquility was spoiled by a gruff groan. 

 

Right. She had almost forgotten she was trapped in a ship with good for nothing pirates. 

 

Marinette turned to look over to the bed on which the captain was resting and took in a sharp breath at the sight. The golden rays shone  through the room and cast a golden glow across his tan skin. Long dark eylashes gently fanning his cheeks as he nestled further into the pillow. He looked like an angel, golden and soft and peaceful and nothing like a notorious pirate captain. Asleep with his hair a mess he looked so handsome and innocent, perfectly sculpted as if he were a living piece of priceless art that sirens like herself were often drawn to hoard. 

He let out another groan of protest and cracked open an eye to peer at her across the room. Groaning again as the sunlight stung his eyes.

 

"What time is it? Why have you woken me at such an ungodly hour?"

 

"I'd say it's about four in the morning based on the position of the sun. But I didn't wake you so don't blame me for that." Marinette replied, refusing to admit to herself how much she enjoyed the sound of Chat's gruff morning voice.

 

"You opened the bloody curtains didn't you? How the fuck is a man supposed to sleep with a face full of sunlight, princess?" 

 

Chat sat up and rubbed at his eyes, letting out a yawn as he stretched out his muscles and sat up. He tugged off his sleep shirt, exposing his toned body to her gaze and walked over to his draws, pulling out a fresh shirt. 

 

"S'pose i better get up and head to the deck anyway. I need a bit of fresh air to plan our next destination before the rest of the crew gets up." 

 

Grabbing his coat and slipping it over his shoulders, Chat turned to leave the cabin. He grabbed his captain hat and placed it atop his messy hair, stopping just within the doorframe before turning to face Marinette in the tub. 

 

"You...ah...wouldn't want to come up for some fresh air too would you?" 

 

"I would really appreciate if I could-" Marinette began, hesitant "-but I would dry out sitting up there in the sun."

 

"I could get you a barrel of water?" Chat replied scratching the back of his neck nervously.

 

"I would really appreciate it." Marinette smiled and reached up from the tub to wrap her arms around Chat who had come to the side of the tub to hoist her into his arms and carry her up onto the main deck. 

 

"You can sit with me at the helm of  the ship. There won't be many men around at this hour so it will give you a chance to catch a break."

 

Chat carried her up to the helm of the ship and sat her down on the wooden planks. They were cool against her scales in the early morning and she sat patiently as Chat had another crew member help him hoist a barrel into the ocean and bring it up onto the deck full of water, albeit with a concerned look on his face as he realised his captain had left the monster unattended and untied near the helm.

 

Once the barrel was seated next to her Chat turned to Marinette to speak. 

 

"So I'm not sure how you want to work this? You could just use the water to rub on your skin? Or maybe sit in the barrel? But I'm not entirely sure it'd be comfortable as it's a bit small? I'm not really sure how the whole drying out thing works so just tell me what you need and I'll do my best but-"

 

"Why are you being so nice?"

 

"I'm sorry, what?"

 

"You heard me  _captain,_ why are You being so nice?"

 

"We made a deal didn't we, princess? I swore to take care of you and let you go on the condition  you explained to me how sirens worked and gave me scales to sell for gold. That was our deal and I'm a man of my word. I may be a pirate but I'm still a gentleman at heart, my lady. And besides I said I would prove to you that I could be trusted so you would uphold your end of the deal. But if it's not working and your going to refuse to tell me then I'll just have to sell you off **whole** for my gold won't I?" He sent her a wicked smirk and Marinette shuddered at the threat. (at least that's what she pretended, really it was because of that smirk.)

 

"Well you have done well for your case so far captain. I suppose you are keeping your side of the deal and so I must start keeping mine. So what do you want first? Scales or information?"

 

"I've got nowhere to sell your beautiful scales yet princess so you can keep them until i do. So why don't you instead enlighten me about yourself princess? Your name perhaps?" Chat sent her a wink and a cheeky smile, knowing all too well he wasn't likely to be graced with that information any time soon.

 

 "Not likely _captain._ However I am willing to tell you how we came to exist. Last night i told you I had been human once and you asked me how, well the truth is all sirens were human once. I was just a maiden living in Paris. My parents owned a bakery and I often helped run the shop, but i longed for something more. I wanted to sail and adventure, scandalous for a young woman I know, but that's what i wanted. So I snuck on a trade ship and impersonated a sailor as we set sail for London and from London to Cuba, Havanna and Kingston. It was about halfway between Cuba and Kingston that they fiquired me out. And as you probably know it's 'bad luck' to have a woman aboard and so they set to get rid of me."

 

"I don't believe that nonsense about women on board. Alix is one of my best sailors and an absolute demon with some pistols. Her presence has never cause us any bad luck, although I wouldn't say that sailors whose ships we've raided would say their encounters with her were good luck." Chat chuckled. "But they wanted to rid you from the ship? What did they do to you?" 

 

"Once they caught me they tied my legs together and thew me into the ocean screaming. Left me to drown basically. It's hard to explain in any other way then some sort of ocean magic? But during the struggle I inhaled sea water and I couldn't swim with my tied legs. I remember the burning in my throat and chest and the tingling in my legs and not much after that. The next thing i remeber was being awake, taking a deep breath, surging to the surface and swimming to safety. I was surrounded by other sirens who took me in and told me that it would be ok. My legs were fused together and soon enough I had a tail, the burning of the salt water in my throat also gave me the ability to lure with my voice. I don't really know how it works but it does. The ocean must create us for a purpose and so we vow to make sailors pay for what they did to us. As for having legs, we have the choice to stay and most do. If we want we can dry out and live a normal life with legs, only turning back if we breath in a lungful of salt water. But the process of drying out is incredibly painful and it burns and stings and rips your skin. Many think it's not worth going through just to get legs."

 

"I'm sorry you went through that pain yesterday against your will, if I had known it would hurt you like that I would have made sure you had plenty of water. But they tried to kill you? To drown you? They threw a young, innocent maiden over board and left you for dead? What absolute assholes! I've always hated those wealthy French scum who think they can hurt who they please and get away with it!"

 

Marinette could tell he was seething with anger and it was clear there was more to his hatred of the French then he let on. She would get it out of him eventually, as she had decided she would find out his secrets too. 

 

They sat silently together on the deck for a few moments. The sun finally rising high enough into the sky for it to be considered properly day. The waves sloshed and assulted the wooden hull of the ship and seagulls could be heard calling through the air. The smell of the sea strong as they sat for a moment.

 

Soon enough Marinette spoke up. "What about you?"

 

"What about me?"

 

"Why did you become a pirate?"

 

The moment the words slipped from her mouth Marinette could see how guarded Chat had become, scowling to himself as he must have thought back upon the memory.

 

"You remember those earrings in my cabin?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"They are the last thing I have of my mother. She was an adventurer and once after she left she never came back. Father and I had no idea of what happened to her or whether she was even alive. After that father became cold and cruel. He kept me locked up in the house and said it was to keep me safe, that he couldn't bare to lose me too. But he searched for my mother, manipulating and torturing and using innocent people to do his dirty work and find her. I couldn't stand it anymore and so I packed my things, grabbed the only thing of mothers left in the house, her earrings, and I ran away. Leaving my father in France and sneaking aboard a ship with my best friend, Nino. We worked on the navy ship for a while, honing our sailing and fighting skills until our ship was wrecked and boarded by pirates. Nino and I begged to join the crew and they took us aboard. The captain was impressed with our skills and took me under his wing. Teaching me everything he knew and one day when he was taken down in battle I took over the ship. He was more of a father to me then the rich scum I left back in France. Father sends ships after me often but he has always been unsuccessful. I guess being a pirate and sailing the seas was freedom and adventure; both of which I lacked under the dictatorship of my father and because in a sense I feel they bring me closer to my mother. She wasnt a pirate but she was adventurous and free..." 

 

Marinette watched as Chat let out a shaky sigh, clearly upset by the events of his past. She felt for him.  While he was a feared pirate, he was sweet and caring and sensitive, nothing like what she had imagined he would be, and she truly felt for him. Marinette knew she shouldn't care for a pirate, it was against everything she knew and stood for, but the man beside her now was more then a murderous thief and she couldn't help herself from being intrigued by him.

 

"Thank you." She stated plainly, placing a petite hand upon his shoulder and gazing out toward the lightening horizon.

 

"For?"

 

"Opening up to me. I know it must have been hard, but if your willing to open up to me, a stranger and a monster, like that, then I really believe I can trust you."

 

Marinette sent him a smile and took her hand away, reaching for the barrel and wetting her hands to smooth across her skin. 

 

"Here let me help you." 

 

Cha reached into the barrel, wetting his hands and reached toward the shimmering skin of her tail. Just as his calloused fingers were about to make contact Marinette turned to him, fire in her eyes and let loose a violent hiss, baring her teeth aggressively. Chat instinctivly pulled away in shock at the sudden change and shot her a pointed look.

 

"Only trying to help princess!" He huffed indignantly.

 

Marrinette's expression changed from volatile to embarrassed in an instant, her hands flying to her mouth as her eyes blew wide. 

 

"I'm so sorry! It's just instinct for me to react like that when people reach toward my tail because they are usually trying to hurt me Or- I really am so sorry! I know you were just helping! It won't happen again!"

 

"I'm sorry I probably should have asked anyway. May I help?"

 

"Yes. Just um please be gentle." She looked down at the glittering scales before looking back toward him with her bottom lip between her teeth.

 

Chat couldn't help but stare for a moment before catching himself and looking away toward the barrel. He reached into the cool salt water and re-wet his hands. Gently he reached down and wiped the cool water across a patch of scales toward the bottom of her tail. Sliding his hand across the surface and admiring the texture grazing beneath his fingertips. He opened his mouth to say something to Marinette but was cut short. 

 

"Well, what the actual fuck is going on here?" 

 

Chat at looked up to find Nino standing before him, gaping at the scene. The rest of the crew standing not far behind looking equally as confused. While Chat new that the current situation was nothing but innocent the thought suddenly dawned on him of how compromising it could appear. Here he was on the deck, alone, in the early morning, with a beautiful creature, running his hand against her tail. Red flushed across his cheeks as he jumped to his feet, stuttering to explain.

 

"I WAS JUST KEEPING HER MOIST! No that's a BAD word choice! What I meant was keeping her WET! No even worse! KEEPING HER HYDRATED??"

 

Chat knew at this point he was just digging a bigger hole and decided he should just end it with the truth and get his men to work.

 

"She needed a little fresh air so I brought her up. But she would dry out in the sun so she needs to keep applying water. That was all. Just keeping her alive! Not get back to work all of you!"

 

The men all scurried off to their posts, however their sceptical glances back at the captain and the siren didn't go unnoticed.

 

"Perhaps you should take yourself back down to the cabin?" Chat said to her from his place at the wheel. 

 

"Oh yea good one Chat. Suppose I'll just walk myself down to the cabin right?" 

 

"Oh. Right. Uh Nino could you come steer for a bit mate?!"

 

Nino came to the wheel and watched in shock as Chat picked the siren up without a single concern and carried her back down into the cabin.

 

* * *

 

 

Chat eventually placed Marinette into the tub, the cool water sloshing against the sides at the disturbance. He tried his best to think of anything other then how soft her skin was and how his shirt that she had picked out last night hung from her shoulders still, but he failed miserably. 

 

"I'll be back in a few hours with lunch. Do you want a book or something to read while your down here?" 

 

"I'll be alright thank you. My scales are in need of a good preen anyway so that will keep me occupied." 

 

Chat nodded and headed toward the door, stopping in the door way.

 

"Just shout if you need anything, and i promise to return in a few hours princess." And with a wink he left her alone in the room to stew in her thoughts. And stew she did.


End file.
